1. Celebrity Rehab

Bree's P.O.V.

2006

"My name is Bree James, and I'm an addict," I somberly say, bowing my head just slightly, standing in the middle of a small group of people.

"Hi, Bree," they all respond to me, their voices all echoing sort of eerie like.

The whole vibe in this room is depressing as hell, and I hate being here, but I guess this is what being in court ordered rehab feels like, huh.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen...

I used to be that cute adorable little girl from that sitcom from back in a day, about a interracial couple, a black woman and a white man, and their struggles to navigate their relationship in a world that's not quite ready for it. I used to play their daughter, and I have practically grown up on the set of that show.

It got canceled just as I had turned 18.

And by that time, I was already a wild child. And all kinds of child star clinchés.

I've gotten emancipated from my own parents by the age of 16, because all they ever wanted to do was to use me for my fame and money, essentially stealing all of my earnings from me.

I was also hard pressed on moving away from my sweet little girl image.

Back when I'd turned 20, I started partying hard with other famous starlets, like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan and them. There are plenty of shots of paparazzi catching us exiting out of limos with our underwear showing.

Then, at the age of 24, I had finally done my first Playboy shoot.

All in an attempt of, like I said, shedding my previous image, the image the public mostly associates me with, I just wanted to be taken more seriously, you know.

I wanted to be offered different movie roles from what I would normally get, like those endless Hallmark family movies, ugh!!

I was so sick and tired of it and just wanted everyone to realize how much I have grown up!!

Problem is, that my hard partying lifestyle, drugs and alcohol, and my abusive on-and-off relationship with my on-and-off boyfriend, a bad boy rocker Adam Levine, has now caught up to me in a worst way possible.

After having a huge fight with Adam over him possibly cheating on me with one of his groupies, I took a baseball bat to his car. Smashed out all his windows, then slashed his tires. Then set the whole thing on fire.

The car ended up exploding, and it was pretty crazy.

Afterwards, I had to go to court.

Adam ended-up not pressing charges against me, but, unfortunately, the state of Michigan has, and I ended-up being sentenced to a year of probation, part of which was requiring me to complete a stint in rehab, as well as anger management classes.

So, that's where I am right now. In fucking rehab, forcing myself to sit still and not bug out on anybody during one of these daily therapy sessions, where all the patients have to sit together like a big happy family and talk about our feelings and shit.

I mean, it's not mandatory. You don't have to necessarily contribute to the discussions taking place in the group session, but you do have to show up for them.

Today is supposed to be a pretty big day though, as it is rumored that a brand new patient will be joining us, and it's no other than Eminem.

Supposedly, he's checking himself in here to deal with his sleeping medication addiction or something like that. Or at least, that's the story that's been going around here.

And that's a pretty big fucking deal.

Now, this is a facility specifically tailored for the rich and famous. Every single one of us here, we are publicly known for one thing or another. We are all either actors, or singers, or reality stars here, but like... Eminem just seems like he's on a whole other level from any of us still.

I mean, that white boy is huge!!

Some of the patients here actually have a whole lot of respect and admiration for him, while the others can't stand him.

Now me, I'm somewhere in the middle, I guess. I mean, I like some of his music, but I'm not a huge fan.

Nevertheless, I think it would be interesting once he finally gets here. At least, it would be something different from how every single day at this place has been going so far. Day in and day out, it was just non-stop boredom for me...

The door to the therapy room opens, and he walks in.

And I swear, every single person's head at this place snaps automatically towards him.

Eminem is wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a white t-shirt, on his head, there's a white durag, with some of his bleached blond hair poking through, and he's got a pair of white Nikeys at his feet.

He looks just like a regular person, and he also immediately looks bored and done with this whole rehab facility. His facial expression worn and blank like a white sheet of paper.

He walks in and takes a seat in one of the available chairs in the circle.

Dr. Benning, our group therapist for today's session, introduces him to the rest of us, like Eminem really needs an introduction, then we all day hi to him like he's a new kid in class or something. Eminem nods his head, but he doesn't say anything. He seems kind of like he's not even all the way in here with us.

I've heard that when he was brought in yesterday, he had been high out of his mind, so he must be still coming down from that.

Then, the stupid part of the session starts, where everybody that chooses to speak are pouring their heart out, and all I can do is internally roll my eyes. Like, I hate this part of it, I hate how we are all expected to act like we have a problem, when I personally don't think I've got a problem at all. I can control my drinking and coke problem well enough, I know how to pace myself with it and how to stop. Just because I have lost my temper one time with my ex, doesn't mean that I have to be here!!

"Mr. Mathers, would you like to join and share anything with the group?" Dr. Benning suddenly asks Eminem, bringing me out of my thoughts. "I know that today is your first time joining us, but sometimes it helps to dive right in," she suggests to him warmly.

Eminem looks at her and he looks straight up fed up with the bullshit already.

"Nah, I'm good on all that today. Thanks," he replies, and I can't help but think this dude is my spirit animal!!

I don't know exactly why is he even here then, he wasn't court ordered to go to rehab, as far as I know anyway, but it's pretty clear to me that he does not want to be here at all, and that's definitely something I can relate to!!

Unfortunately though, I cannot, unlike him, publicly show my disdain for this place like that. Because I know that everything that I do here is being reported to my probation officer, I have to put on an act and make it like I actually am making some progress here.

So, when Dr. Benning asks me if I have anything at all to share, I get to singing like a motherfucker. I poor my heart out, or at least, pretend to. I talk about my family, issues with my parents, and how that probably pushed me into abusing drugs and alcohol in the first place. I talk about how I desperately wish to get better, but don't know how to.

Everybody pats me on the back then, and I allow false tears to spill out of my eyes, I'm an actress after all, I know exactly how to fake emotions.

"Do you think that the pressure of fame maybe had anything to contribute to your drug problem then, Ms. James" Dr. Benning now asks me, and at that part, Eminem suddenly snorts.

All eyes are on him then, and he looks visibly uncomfortable.

"What's your problem?" I frown at him, not really knowing why he would react like this to me.

"Yo, that's my bad, baby," he shrugs. "But, fame? Who the fuck are you exactly and what do you do?"

"What? I'm an actress," I reply, genuinely offended.

"Never heard of you," he shrugs. "I thought you were like a daughter of somebody famous or some shit."

"Well, I've never heard any of your songs!!" I fire back, knowing exactly how dumb I sounded just now, because like? Who hasn't heard an Eminem song?!

"Nah?" Eminem smirks again, and it's a little evil ass smirk, I've never had anybody look at me like this before. "Well, maybe I can give you a private show then later," he says sarcastically. "I've got a few that would fit just right with you," then he goes back to looking bored again. "Anyway, doc, you had asked this chick here about fame fucking a person up, well it does fuck you up," he shrugs.

"Would you like to share more about that, Mr. Mathers? And please, do hold off from verbally attacking anyone at this group session. We are trying to keep it a safe environment for all of those participating. It goes for you two, Ms. James."

"Nah, I'm good," Eminem says, and he now looks like he regrets ever opening up and saying as much as he has already said.

For the rest of the session, he doesn't say a word, then once the session comes to an end, he's the first one out of the door.

"What a fucking jerk," I mutter under my breath, then follow behind him.

I make my way to my room and get on the bed, turning on the TV and picking up a magazine to read at the same time. Damn, I hate that we are not allowed to have our phones here, I could sure use to call one of my girlfriends right now to just talk and gossip with them to alleviate some of my boredom.

Like I said, the days just drag here.

On the other hand, tonight I've got a very important meeting during afterhours.

You see, I've been messing with one of the orderlies here, and this guy is going to be hooking me up later on. I smile to myself as I think of how I had managed to play the system. I was court ordered to go to rehab for my drug problem, and yet I have still managed to find a way to keep getting high... while right here in rehab, pretending like I'm on my way to recovery during therapy sessions.

Later on that day...

I sneak into the kitchen area where the orderly, Jake, is supposed to meet up with me.

I don't really know why we are meeting in the kitchen instead of him just bringing the drugs to my room, but Jake claims it's because of the hourly room checks by staff, but I honestly think he just enjoys hooking up with me in public places, to be honest.

Anyways, we do what we do best, afterwords, Jake slips me my little baggie with coke in it. Now, I know what you much be thinking, but the truth is, no, I'm not selling my body to this guy for drugs, I actually like hooking up with him, and the fact that he's agreed to sneak in coke for me is just an added bonus.

Just as I'm walking out of the kitchen area though, slipping the baggie in my pocket, I suddenly walk straight into a hard chest.

"Shit!!" I exclaim, backing up.

"Yo, what the fuck?!"

I look up and come face to face with Eminem. The hell is he doing here?!

"What are you doing here?!" I exclaim out loud again.

"Yo, keep your fucking voice down," he hisses at me. "I was looking for the damn bathroom, still can't remember where it is at this damn place."

"It's um... down the hall. But like, don't you have a damn bathroom in your room?"

"Yeah, well, the fucking toilet is not flushing in there," he replies to me with a straight face, and I don't know how, but I just know that he's lying.

"Really?" I narrow my eyes at him.

"Yeah really. Yo, why you all up in my business for?" He now says real defensive like.

Just then, Jake walks out of the kitchen area, and I look from him to Em.

"Wait, are you like, hooking up with him for some drugs too?" I ask sarcastically, then bust laughing hysterically.

"Are you fucking for real?!" Eminem exclaims.

"Be quiet, Bree, he pays me to sneak something in for him, just like I sneak in stuff for you," Jake replies, equally as embarrassed. Straight men can't take a gay joke at all, I swear.

"So wait, you are not really trying to get clean in here?" My head snaps towards Eminem. "Why did you even check yourself in?"

"None of your business yo!" Em snaps back at me, then he quickly walks up to Jake and shoves some money in his hand, Jake handing him a few orange pill bottles. "Shit, at least I ain't in here talking pure hogwash in therapy about how I'm all about getting better," he then turns to me and smirks. "Little Miss Colorful World," he says the name of my sitcom I used to star in as a kid.

It takes me a few seconds to register what he just said to me too, and by that time, Em is making his way down the hallway to I'm assuming his room.

"Thought you didn't know who I was!!" I yell at his back.

"I've done my research since then," he shrugs and keeps right on walking, without so much as turning towards me.

Eminem has done research on me? Why??

I shrug to myself and make my way back to my room as we part ways...